In most restaurants for filling water pitchers, there is located a faucet extending vertically above a counter which utilizes a pitcher-actuated lever for turning on the water. In other words when the pitcher is placed into position for receiving water, it moves the lever to one side so that water is permitted to flow from the faucet. The attendant must watch the pitcher and when it is full remove it from the position adjacent the faucet, which action permits the spring-loaded lever to move to the closed position. Thus the water stops flowing from the faucet as the pitcher is removed.
However, if the atendant fails to remove the pitcher, the water keeps flowing even though the pitcher is full and of course, the water overflows into a receiving basin. Thus the waitress or other person must continually watch the pitcher to guard against overfilling. In addition such overfilling results in the pitcher outside surface becoming wet and thereby requiring that it be wiped off before use at the eating tables, et cetera.
In the past, various attempts have been made to provide automatic filler devices which would sense in some manner the full condition of a container fluid and thereafter shut off the flow from the faucet. However, usually such devices have been rather complicated and therefore expensive to purchase. Also, most prior art devices have required a special installation of equipment and apparatus requiring the removal of existing fountain devices. Naturally such requirements are expensive and time-consuming, not to mention the need for continued maintenance on the more complicated devices. It is the primary purpose of this invention to provide an automatic shut-off device for a fountain type faucet which can be utilized with the present facilities and which is simple in operation.